CAMPAIGNERS for fairer school funding for Worcestershire have given a “cautious” welcome to changes to the allocation of money.

The f40 group – which represents the poorest funded authorities and schools in England, including Worcestershire – has shown support for the Government’s education funding white paper which sets out a move to a national funding formula.

The present system of funding sees pupils in schools in Worcestershire receive £370 less funding per head than the national average and £762 less than children in Birmingham.

This is despite some parts of the county being among the 10 per cent most deprived areas of England.

But while campaigners are in favour of change, they raise several issues with the proposal, including concerns that a ‘simple’ per pupil formula may not take into account key issues in schools where costs are determined by the number of classes taught and not the number of individual pupils.

The impact of the move on class sizes for post-16 education and funding for rural and shire local authorities were further issues raised by f40, as was the removal of ring-fenced grants, which could see schools using the money for core activities Evesham’s MP Peter Luff said the move was “a big step” in the right direction but the issues raised by f40 needed to be properly addressed in order to make the system effective.

“I agree with what f40 are saying,” he said.

“The principle of working with a simpler funding formula with more discretion for schools is absolutely right. But we’ve got to make sure what happens isn’t just right on on principle, but works in practice.”

Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, added: “f40 have prepared a characteristically thoughtful and well-argued response. They do an excellent job campaigning for the fairer funding Worcestershire schoolchildren deserve.”